Blogger won't let the picture be embedded in this post, but this link has a picture I took in the Shrine Room at FWBO HQ in Bethnal Green, London. It's interesting how the facial features on Buddha rupas often in time come to reflect the facial features of the locals.

It's interesting you say that, Retro. Years ago when I visited the FWBO centre on Little Lonsdale St, I remarked that their Buddha rupa had Caucasian features. Turned out it was sculpted by one of their members.

If I may be so bold, this is also true of Christian Statuary...I mean, whoever heard of a blonde-haired, blue-eyed Hebrew girl? I think people go with what is familiar.This is not such a controversial issue in Buddhism, given that we actually really do not have any idea what the Buddha looked like (though of course, knowing what we do about the indigenous inhabitants of the area, we could make a relatively shrewd guess) and that he really wasn't too keen on images being made of him anyway. As far as I am given to understand.

So, strictly speaking, these images/statues, are not of the Buddha.They're of our imaginative notion of the Buddha. They're representative, not figurative.

“No lists of things to be done. The day providential to itself. The hour. There is no later. This is later. All things of grace and beauty such that one holds them to one's heart have a common provenance in pain. Their birth in grief and ashes.” - Cormac McCarthy, The Road

Learn this from the waters:in mountain clefts and chasms,loud gush the streamlets,but great rivers flow silently.- Sutta Nipata 3.725

TheDhamma wrote:PTS has the complete translation of AN in English, but yes, Bhikkhu Bodhi's translation I am sure will be much better.

I plan to order Bhikkhu Bodhi's full AN translation when it comes out. Until then, I'll finish up MN (I'm up to about MN 93) and then venture towards the Wisdom Publications issuing of DN... which presumably I'll drop like a hot potato once I get the AN!

Keep an eye on the Theosophical Bookshop in Russell Street, Melbourne. They sometimes have quite acceptableThai-style rupas that don't have the mass production or garden gnome look. I picked up a 30cm bronze(?) statue for about $120 about 18 months ago. The Theosophical Bookshop also has no shortage of a number of Tibetan-style rupas, but they are small and very expensive - probably due to the gold paint. They're not my cup of tea. Another place to go is some of the Asian antique shops at the Kew end of Victoria Street. I found a painted solid alabaster Mandalay-style rupa - it would have been about 50-60cm in height. It was incredibly beautiful and exactly what I was looking for. However the price at around $2,000 - I could have financed a trip to Burma and returned with one (if not more).If you are ever driving to Bendigo, apparently there is a Buddha shop on the way in Malmsbury. My wife brought home a beautiful wooden thai rupa that is painted black with some gold highlights from there.No doubt you'll see my small collection when you come down here to interrogate me!Cheers

Ben

“No lists of things to be done. The day providential to itself. The hour. There is no later. This is later. All things of grace and beauty such that one holds them to one's heart have a common provenance in pain. Their birth in grief and ashes.” - Cormac McCarthy, The Road

Learn this from the waters:in mountain clefts and chasms,loud gush the streamlets,but great rivers flow silently.- Sutta Nipata 3.725

OK Retro, Malmsbury is pretty small and it consists of the one strip of shops on either side of the Highway. If I know my good wife, it would be within sight of the Malmsbury Bakery! I'll get more precise directions tonight when she's home from her hoof-trimming workshop.Kind regards

Ben

EDIT: I just spoke to her and it is in the main drag (Calder Hwy/Mollison St), close to the Bakery but it is not called 'the Buddha Shop' but something else. Kylie said you should go into the backroom as 'they have heaps of them there'.

“No lists of things to be done. The day providential to itself. The hour. There is no later. This is later. All things of grace and beauty such that one holds them to one's heart have a common provenance in pain. Their birth in grief and ashes.” - Cormac McCarthy, The Road

Learn this from the waters:in mountain clefts and chasms,loud gush the streamlets,but great rivers flow silently.- Sutta Nipata 3.725